Everybody's fool
by WhitePhoenixes' old account
Summary: Hermione meets a man in Italy. He was everything she could ask for. Yet she was deceived. Appearances can be tricky.


**"Everybody's Fool" By Evanescence**

** A/N: Nothing belongs to me, which is painfully obvious.  
**

She trusted him, more than life itself. She thought that he was the true love of her life. From the first time she met him, till the time when they made love on the soft, cool sands of Hawaii's finest beaches; all she could think about was his soft green eyes which she had fallen in love from the very first day.

_Perfect by nature  
Icons of self indulgence  
Just what we all need  
More lies about a world that _

She met him during her trip to Italy. She fell in love with him the first time she sat eyes on him. She was utterly devoted to him, never letting an opportunity to spend more time with him pass by. Yet she was oblivious to the fact that he did not love her. Merely, he had used her as a tool to get closer to Arin, her sister.

She discovered that he was using her that very night. She arrived home late that night, due to complications at work. She had expected to see him waiting for her on the sofa. Instead, she overheard a conversation with another man.

"Do you think she realized it already, Antonio?" the mysterious man's voice resounded in the room.

"She? Nah. It can't be. She may be the smartest witch in eons, but she will never know," came the voice of Antonio Fartuse, her perceived boy friend.

Hermione was puzzled. Who could they be talking about?

"Hermione would be hurt, you know." Came the voice of the other man.

"Oh shut it, Will. She would never know. She's too caught up in her fantasy, that silly girl."

Hermione was, to put it lightly, stunned. How could he? She trusted him, believed him and yet now he betrayed her trust just like that. Hermione felt anger growing in her. An overwhelming hatred for Antonio planted itself in her mind. Furiously, she stormed into the house, not caring that there was another man inside.

_Never was and never will be  
Have you no shame don't you see me  
You know you've got everybody fooled_

"Hermione!" Antonio managed to gasp.

"Antonio," she growled.

"Why love, why the angry face?" he asked sweetly, 'she could not have known' he thought, panicked.

"For you information, Antonio, I heard everything," She emphasized heavily on 'everything'. He returned her glare, shocked.

"I can never trust you again, Antonio. Anyway, Arin is happily married now and has no time for you," Hermione all but snarled.

Antonio was stunned for a moment before recovering, "Relax, love. I will have more time for you then."

"I never was your love and never will be, Antonio. You broke my heart once, and I won't let you break it again," Hermione said quietly,

Antonio was stunned as she took out her wand and magicked both of them out of the house, slamming the door in their faces.

___  
Look here she comes now  
Bow down and stare in wonder  
Oh how we love you  
No flaws when you're pretending  
But now i know she_

Hermione walked down the streets of Italy, painfully aware of the stares she's getting. Antonio was a famous man around these parts, and their break-up has been sensational news. Further more, she was a famous witch due to Voldemort's defeat.

Being far away from Antonio had actually done her good. She was able to see reality clearer. Through out the 2 weeks spent without him, she realized that the Antonio she thought she knew was actually more of her fantasy than the real man. The real Antonio is a selfish bastard who didn't give a damn about her feelings. She realized that now that Antonio had been using her as a tool to get to her prettier sister. He just wanted a woman who would agree to be a trophy on his arm. But Hermione knew that she was more than that.__

_______Never was and never will be  
You don't know how you've betrayed me  
And somehow you've got everybody fooled _

She wanted to have her own opinions, to be able to voice them out whenever she wanted; not when Antonio told her to. Hermione only recognized that fact now. She realized that Antonio just her to be a 'pet dog' on his leash, not being able to do anything that she wanted. He wanted himself to be independent, yet forbidding her from having her own view of things. Looking back now, she reflected on the times that he had prevented her from doing anything that was potentially dangerous or would put her in a more glamorous position compared to himself.____

_______Without the mask where will you hide  
Can't find yourself lost in your lie_

Without his mask, Antonio's true colors emerged. It turns out that he previously had many girlfriends, whom he had viciously abused once they had found out the secret that he's been keeping. Hermione felt fortunate that she had walked away when she had the chance, and not after she had been abused.

Hermione returned to America after three weeks of traveling and avoiding Antonio in Italy. There, she met Michael, a person who looked so much like Ron, who had died during the final battle between Voldemort and Harry.

It had turned out that Michael was indeed a close relative of the Weasleys, but unlike them, he had no magical powers. Hermione was okay with that though, what was more important was that she loved him.

_________  
I know the truth now  
I know who you are  
And i don't love you anymore_

_________It never was and never will be  
You don't know how you've betrayed me  
And somehow you've got everybody fooled_

Two years have passed, and Hermione was happily married to Michael in New York. They lived in a large apartment now, with two children. Hermione lectures at a university occasionally, as Michael being a prominent doctor, earns enough to finance their monthly expenses.

News reached Hermione about Antonio's demise. According to her sister, he had gotten himself into a scuffle with former death eaters who happened to be holidaying in Venice. Enraged that their chance of peace after Voldemort's reign is over is once again disrupted, they hit him with a simple leg-binding cures. However, they did not anticipate the fact that Antonio would actually start hopping all over, and before long, he hopped into the sea, despite the former death eaters attempts to stop him.

Hermione felt a pang of sadness as she heard the news. No one had to die this way, even if it was Antonio. But now, she's free.

Deep down in the seas of Venice, a pair of ruby- red eyes snapped open. Bubbles began spewing from the alabaster lips. She will pay, oh, she will pay dearly indeed.

___________  
It never was and never will be  
You're not real and you can't save me  
Somehow now you're everybody's fool _


End file.
